Chapter 21
***
It was curiously shaped like a water droplet.
"Take this, Kollok, like its mother, and cherish it.”
Louise couldn't believe her eyes, it was so out of place in their situation.
She dismissed it as an imitation pearl.
But now, even when she closed her eyes, the image of the pearl lingered.
She couldn't sleep. All she could think of was her mother, the pearl, and the man who had the documents to get it back.
***
The next day, Miriam began reading a new children's book, Asunfutl.
"Once upon a time, a noble lady lay sick. The lady knew that death was near, that it was coming, that......."
Her pronunciation stuttered, and she still had the habit of groping her thigh. Louise watched Miriam's hand and the scrutinizing glance.
She had seen the scars on her thighs the day before when she bathed her. She hadn't asked right away for fear of seeming to criticize, but suddenly she had a hunch it might not be a skin disease.
"I'll always be here, ..................watching over you from the sky. And then she passed away."
Miriam was now concentrating on her book, but Louise couldn't help it.
"Wait. Wait, Miriam. I suddenly remembered something I wanted to ask you."
Miriam stopped reading and waited for the question. She didn't ask what it was, but her eyes, the color of the ocean, blinked rapidly, urging her.
Louise swallowed hard, nervous for some reason. She paused for a moment, unsure of how to say it, then opened her mouth.
"I heard somewhere that sometimes scary teachers will slap your palm or calf or thigh if you read a book wrong or play the piano wrong. What do you think, Miriam?"
"What?"
Miriam flinched in surprise, her eyes quickly following the passage she'd read, and then she asked in disbelief.
"Did Miriam read it wrong again, and you're going to scold me?"
Louise was heartbroken to see her so easily frightened, but she had to ask anyway.
"Well, I’ve never punished a student before, but how was
Ms. Zara?"
Miriam asked, her face pale blue.
"Like a corporal punishment...............? Like, poking me with a bar or a needle?"
Louise could have sworn she heard her heart drop in surprise. But she tried to look nonchalant.
"Did Ms. Zara punish you with a needle............... when you misread?"
Miriam's eyes grew redder and redder, and tears welled up in her eyes.
"Yes, I did it wrong. I'll do better, I'll practice more, I won't embarrass you, and I don't like needles."
She even put her hands together and begged. Louise hugged Miriam tightly, more surprised than she was.
"No, Miriam. Don't say that. I was just curious."
If she had known, she would have looked more closely at the wound. At the time, the thought that it would be impolite and the memory of her mother's memory conspired against her.
"I’m wrong, teacher. Don't sell me to the merchant on his way to Sedei."
The girl shuddered convulsively, and Louise's face went cold as she remembered.
She had heard rumors of slaves still in the Sedei Empire, rumors she had picked up in the marketplace, but had never been sure of them. How could a teacher make such blackmail threats to such a young and naive girl?
Louise repeated.
"Miriam is a good reader, and even if she misreads, I will never punish her, never hurt her, never send her somewhere else."
"Huh, do you promise?"
The girl cried like a child in Louise's arms for a long time.
Suddenly, everything made sense.
All the things people had said about Miriam's skittish behavior, the way she screamed when she didn't want to be seen bathing by the new maid, the way she hated to study.
All were products of abuse.
When Louise asked for more details about the story of how the tutor had dared to abuse a Count’s sister by poking her with a needle, Miriam hesitantly pulled out a knitting needle from her ring chain and showed it to her.
As she stared at it, she realized that the tip was black with blood, giving her goosebumps.
She wondered if the teacher was telling the truth when she said she was sick.
Louise suddenly had doubts. She hoped that the teacher had been found abusing Miriam and had been punished and sent away.
Louise asked again, more cautiously.
"Does anyone know that ................... Ms. Zara hurt Miriam?"
Miriam replied sobbing.
"Only Ms. Zara and Niel..................."
"Niel? Who is Niel?"
"The one she took...... My maid."
Louise’s mouth dropped open in disbelief.
Now she realized that her former teacher had taken the maid for a reason. She must have thought that if she took her, no one in the house would know about this.
Louise was genuinely furious. One more reason to meet with Caius.
***
At about the same time, Viscount Engel rushed frantically to the Melk police station. He had just received word that his only son, Pietro, had been arrested on trumped-up charges.
"Look, have you people lost your minds? Last month you accused me of being a junkie and locked me up, an innocent man, and now you accuse my son of being a thief?"
The captain shook his head in disbelief.
"Your Excellency, we're in a bit of a bind, and we'd like to have your son arrested as a felon................"
"What, a felon, you mean my son stole from that poor tutor's house?" (*Louise’s house)
The Inspector led the Viscount away from prying eyes and whispered quietly.
"I'm not just saying that, but we're in trouble, too. I've heard that Miss Ermoli, who lives in the house, is employed by the Margrave of Burg, and it seems that His Excellency is very careful with his employees."
"What the hell has that got to do with my son!"
"Well, it does have something to do with the fact that your son has been in the house openly for several days now, while Burg’s privateers have been wrapping Melk in black and promising to catch the thief!"
"My son only took pity on the teacher and tried to mend the broken house!"
"And without the landlord's permission?"
Viscount Engel was stunned and speechless.
The Inspector's voice dropped even lower.
"But why did your son want to fix the house, since the teacher is no longer in your employ, and do you know anything about the thugs who are said to have broken it down?"
The Viscount asked, incredulous.
"Are you interrogating me?"
"Not only that, sir. Someone has testified that he saw your son enter the house and ransack it. His Excellency was watching you so closely, we had no choice but to arrest you and investigate!"
But when he went to his son in jail and asked him if it was true that he had rummaged through the teacher’s things, he couldn't even deny it.
"Pietro, did I not teach you to be such a man, to know no shame, to rummage through the belongings of a woman who lives alone?"
"I beg your pardon, father, I meant no offense. I just thought there were signs that someone had opened the chest."
The Viscount knew that his son, fresh out of the army, had been eyeing the pretty teacher for some time, and he hadn't thought much of it, thinking it was just a passing flirtation, but now he was in the brig and facing an outrageous investigation.
I'll never see my wife's face in death.
It was not the time to listen to his son's mumbled apologies. He should put aside politeness and ego and travel to Burg to confront the Margrave himself.
Or better yet, meet with Louise and explain.
The Viscount left the police station after repeatedly asking them to keep an eye on his son. He must send someone to Burg to inform him of his visit the next day before it was too late.
***
This was the first time she had been to the Margrave’s room on her own. The black dress he had given her suddenly felt like it was tickling her.
Louise took a deep breath and knocked, as she always did. Even when he was nice to her, with his generous offers, Caius was still difficult and frightening.
"Come in." came the low voice.
Opening the door, his gaze was drawn toward the door for some reason. When he spotted Louise, one corner of his mouth twitched up and he smiled wryly.
"Looks like I finally got your taste. You look good."
His golden gaze blatantly swept over her entire body.
****
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